Blitz - Son of Skully

This is a variant of the Skully I did before. The pattern itself is the same, except for changing the total number of dc stitches per row, and the total number of rows. The yarn is the same worsted weight yarn I used for the Biker Beret, except that I used 2 strands on a 9.00mm hook.




With the extra thick yarn, closing up the top was slightly different from before, too. I only needed 2 rounds of sc and, rather than doing two sc together every few stitches to decrease, I did on sc into the "hill" of back-loop crocheted rows, skipping the "valleys" in between. For the last round, I reduced it the same way. With the yarn this thick, it was better to skip stitches completely than to bulk things up by doing 2 stitches together.

Blitz - pale hat

I made up this hat using a yarn I picked up at a yarn and fabric exchange a couple of years back. I have no idea what it is, but it's quite nice. A bit difficult to work with, as it's made of of two strands of white yarn, and one squiggly strand of pale yellow that was almost like a string, wrapped loosely around the other two strands. It made for an interesting texture, but tended to get missed by the hook as I worked.



For this, I used 2 strands together on a 6.50mm hook. The main part of the hat is done in basic double crochet, with the last several rows done in alternating front and back post double crochet. With this yarn, using the two strands together resulted in a very squishy feeling texture that's quite warm and cozy.

Blitz - hat and scarf

These two were a bit of a frustration for me. I only had two balls of the yarn I used for these. It's a gorgeous yarn, Maxi Tosca from Lang Yarns. It's 55% new wool and 45% acrylic. It's even machine washable, though in cooler water, gentle cycle and with detergent for fine wash and no softener. No drier. At that point, I figure hand washing would be better. *L*

I picked it because I loved the colour gradients (I like the slow transition of colours better than variagated yarn) and how incredibly soft and light it felt. I choked a bit at the price, but I loved it enough that I considered getting more so that I would have enough to make something wearable; something where I could enjoy its beautiful softness.

By the time I was done this pair, I was glad I changed my mind!!



The hat is a simple double crochet hat, very much like the Biker's Beret I'd done previously. I changed the increases per round and number of increased rounds slightly, to suit the yarn. I used a 5.50mm hook.




The scarf was incredibly frustrating. I ripped this several times before settling on a basic double crochet pattern to match the hat (I originally wanted to work it lengthwise, but that didn't work out) and finding a width that let me get a decent length with the amount of yarn I had left over, including what remained from the hat. Once I did find the dimensioned I needed, I just kept adding rows until I was out of yarn.

By the time it was done, I discovered welts on my arm, where I would drape the scarf as I was working it. It turns out I'm allergic to this yarn! I thought I'd developed an allergy to wool. At the moment, however, I'm working on a stole using a blend of wool and mohair, and I'm not reacing to it. Granted, it isn't "new wool" like this is, so maybe that is making a difference? I have no idea.

I did find it strange that I developed hives on my arm, but that my palms and fingers, which had much more contact than the back of my arm, didn't react at all. Either way, now that I know, I'm glad I didn't hang on to it for some future sweater or something!

Anyhow, this set worked out all right, and I still love the colours and how soft it is.

Blitz - update

I'm about to go through the photos I took of my latest blitz projects, but I thought I'd do a quick update, first.

I hit a bit of a slump a few days back. First, I tried another pattern from 24 Hour Crochet Projects. This time, a brimmed hat. Now, I DID check the gauge when I started: 2 rounds = 2 inches. Well, for some reason it didn't quite work out. The pattern worked fine and the hat was adorable - but it was baby sized. Thankfully, I know a baby, so my husband took it to work with him to pass it on. I hope it fit. I'll have to ask the parents about it, but haven't had a chance to yet.

So that lost me a day on my goals. I went looking through my pattern books and found a pattern for slippers that were different from anything I've done. Usually, I make slippers that are kinda like toe-up socks. They take a bit longer than I want for right now. These were like the Mary Jane style I've seen around but have never tried.

They worked up fast, but I'm not happy with them. Although they're worked identically for all but the very last row, one ended up looser than the other. Then there was the strap. This is worked in at the very end of the last row. Since the button closure is on the outside, that meant one foot's last row was done in the opposite direction of the other. In one of them, the strap ended up further back on the slipper than the other.

So that lost me another day.

We were back at the library, so I went through what books I could find on the shelf, looking for inspiration. Most of them were patterns that took a lot more time than works for my goals, but I did take a few out, including one on making crochet jewelry. I wasn't too inspired, though, and it was starting to frustrate me.

Then we went out again that evening, and I found the fall issue of Crochet magazine. It's a special gift issue, I guess, as it's not on their site right now. Not that it matters. That one magazine has more in it that's of use to me than all of the books I'd looked at at the library put together. It definitely helped me get things going again!

As for now, I need to go through my photos and see which ones turned out. More posts to come. :-D

Blitz - Chillbuster Scarf

This is actually my first scarf.



I've seen designs for scarves with a split to put the end through around, but haven't seen a pattern for one yet. So I made one up.

The yarn used is Bernat Softee Chunky in Terra Cotta Mist. 100% acrylic; machine wash and dry. The colours are actually a lot brighter in the photo than it is in reality - that bright sunshine really brings the colours out. It's really soft and warm.

The hook I used was a 5.50mm

This pattern would be very easy to modify. I chose to put in 2 slits, but it can be made with just one on one side, or none at all.

Using the Softee Chunky yarn (2 balls) and 5.50mm hook, this is how I made this scarf.

Chain 160 + 2

1st row: working into the BACK of the chain, work 1dc into the 3rd loop from the hook. Do not count turning chain here and throughout. Continue working dc into the back of each chain to end. Ch 2 and turn.

Remaining rows are worked in back loops only.

2nd row: work dc into each stitch to end. Ch 2 and turn

repeat for rows 3 and 4 if making a split scarf. If skipping the splits, repeat to desired width and finish off.

* (see note below) Count 30 dc from the end. Place a marker in the 31st stitch. Counting the marked stitch, count 18 dc and place a marker on the 18th stitch. Repeat on other end.

5th row: Work dc into the first 30 stitches, stopping just before the marker. Ch 18. Continue dc after second marker to skip 18 stitches. Dc to stitch before next marker. Ch 18. Continue dc from stitch after last marker to end. Ch 2 and turn (don't forget that the dc are still all worked in the back loop)

6th row: Dc to end. At the chains, dc into the chain, not around. Ch 2 at end and turn.

repeat row 2 for rows 7-9.

Finish off yarn and weave in loose ends.





*NOTE: determining where to make the splits.

Work up the scarf until it is half the width you want it to be, ending on an even numbered row.

Find the centre of the scarf in progress. Put it around your neck with the centre placed in the middle of the back of your neck, ensuring the working row is at the top. Cross the ends comfortably in front of your neck. Place a stitch marker in a stitch close to where they cross near your neck.

How wide to make the split is determined by width of the scarf, which needs to be an odd number of rows. The centre row must be an odd number, so that the width is the same on either side. Each row of dc = 2 chs and 2 stitches skipped in the split. Therefore a scarf that's 9 rows wide like this one, needs a split that's 18 stitches wide.

One you have determined the number of stitches you need to skip, count them out from the marker towards the end and place another marker. The markers need to be in the first and last skipped stitches.

If are making just one split, you can continue on from there. For two splits, place matching markers along the opposite end of the row, adjusting as needed to ensure they are equally spaced.

Continue working as for 5th row.

Blitz - Can Cozies

I have made a lot of these in various shapes and sizes, including variations for small, handle-less teacups. Those do double duty - they insulate the cup, keeping the tea hot longer, and prevent burning your fingers when handling it.

I made these three in one evening.



As you can see, they're not just for pop cans, even though they're all the same size. :-D




These can be made in any material you'd like, but my preferance is for Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Ultrasoft, which is often marketed as dishcloth yarn. It's 100% cotton and machine washable and dryable. Though the label recommends a 4.5mm hook, for these I use a 3.5mm hook. This makes them better able to hold their shape when they're empty.

For a cooler that fits an ordinary pop can, using the yarn and hook size I did, this is how.

Start with 8sc into a magic ring. DO NOT JOIN. The rounds are worked in a spiral.

Increase each consecutive round to make a flat disc as big as the bottom of a pop can. For these, that worked out to 16sc, 24sc , 32sc, 40sc in each consecutive round.

After this, you can just keep working 40sc rounds, but I like to do the first side round in the back loop of the last disc round. You can see that round in the second photo. I find this gives a more defined crease between the base and side rounds. Either way, just keep going until the cozie is the height you want it to be. Feel free to change colours and add texture stitches as desired. As you work up the height, put a can (or whatever you're making the cozie for) into it every now and then to check height and fit.

If you find that the fit is a bit snug, making it hard to put the can into the cozie, try doing 1sc, 3ch, 1sc in one stitch, evenly spaced around the top of the cozie. It gives a slightly fancier looking cozie, but it also flares out the top row enough to make it easier to put a can in, while still keeping the rest of the cozie snug enough not to fall off too easily when the can it picked up.

The first one of these I did was the dark blue with light blue stripes and textured stitches. I was just playing around as I worked. I got positive responses from the family over it, but my personal preference is for simpler designs, so for the others, I stuck to the basics.

Blitz - Skully

Catching up on the last few days of my blitz. First, what is basically a crochet version of a toque (or tuque)





Pattern: Skully
From: Get Your Crochet On: Hip Hats & Cool Caps by Afya Ibomu

Recommended yarn: worsted weight
Yarn used: Bernat Satin.
Hook: 3.75mm

Changes made: added an extra round to close up the top.

This hat, and several other projects in the book, uses the same shaping/sizing technique Mary Jane Hall puts to such good use in clothing in Crochet That Fits. After working the rows and seaming it into a tube, the top is closed up with reducing rounds of hdc. The instructions said 2 rounds, but I found that still left a rather large opening, so I did one more reducing round, then wove the tail end through to close it up tight.

The hat is light and comfortable, but took far longer to make than I wanted for my blitz. If I do it again, and I most likely will, I'll use a chunky yarn and larger hook.